Mediterranean Chutney

This makes a strong, hot chutney, so leave it for several months to mature, or, if you wish to use it immediately, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper.

Cooking time: about 2.5 hours

Ingredients

1 kg tomatoes, skinned and chopped (or tinned)

500g onions, peeled and chopped

500g courgettes, thinly sliced

1 large green pepper, cored, seeded and diced

1 large red or yellow pepper, cored, seeded and diced

225g aubergine, diced

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 x 15 ml spoon salt

1 x 15 ml spoon cayenne pepper (or less)

1 x 15 ml spoon paprika pepper

1 x 15 ml spoon ground coriander

300ml malt vinegar

350g sugar

Method

Place the tomatoes, onions, courgettes, peppers, aubergine and garlic in a large pan. Add the salt, cayenne and paprika peppers and coriander. Cover and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the juices run. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, uncover and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours or until the vegetables are soft but still recognizable as shapes, and most of the water from the tomatoes has evaporated.

Add the vinegar and sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue to cook for one
hour, or until the chutney is thick and there is no free vinegar on the top.

Spoon while still hot into prepared jars. Seal with airtight, vinegar-proof covers.

This comes from an old recipe book from Marks and Spencers called Home Preserving. We heated the clean (used) jars and lids (separately) in the oven for around 15 minutes before putting the chutney in.